I am special

Narcissa's Legacy

Severus Snape arrived quite early the next morning at the Burrow. He and Sirius Black were having a heated discussion in Arthur Weasley's office, and were yelling fairly loud at each other.

But, no matter how much the others strained their ears in vain, they could not understand a word.

Draco had already finished breakfast and was waiting impatiently.

"They'll be done soon," Molly told him.

"Anytime this year?" the Slytherin asked sarcastically.

Ginny giggled, and then grew serious again.

"I can't come with you and Snape to Diagon Alley. I'm sorry."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Draco saw Ron smirking at him.

"I want to talk to Ron in private," she answered quietly. "Maybe I can calm him down a little bit. And don't make that face at me."

Draco still looked disappointed.

"You want anything from Diagon Alley then?" he asked gruffly.

"How about a million galleons?" Ginny suggested, grinning.

"Greedy, aren't we, Weasley?"

Black and Snape entered the kitchen. Sirius looked ready to murder his nemesis, whilst Snape looked as cold and unemotional as ever.

"Are you ready?" he asked Draco, and then frowned. "What happened to your eye?"

Draco could see Ron paling visibly. He had to bit his lip not to let out a snort of laughter.

"A ball hit me, during practising Quidditch with Ginny," he answered harmlessly.

Snape watched him sceptically.

"Thank you for letting Draco stay during the Christmas break," he said to Molly in a frosty tone.

"He is welcome here anytime," she answered, smiling at the Slytherin.

"Let's go, Draco, I don't have all day."

"Can I at least say goodbye to Ginny?"

Snape growled something under his breath, but he nodded shortly.

"Hurry up."

***

"Don't let Ron get on your back too much, okay?" Draco said while the couple was standing just outside the front door.

"I won't. And you, take care of yourself, will you?"

Instead of answering, he pulled her in a kiss.

"I wish you would come with me," Draco murmured.

"We'll see each other soon at Hogwarts," she tried to cheer him up.

"Not soon enough."

Ginny had to laugh.

"Honestly, sometimes I think, you are a romantic," she teased.

"It's my first time out in public after the incident," Draco said, ignoring her last comment. "I trust Severus, but I would have been very glad to have a friend with me, too."

"You'll make it. Just think of me."

"Constantly, Weasley." He kissed her again.

Somebody cleared his throat in the background. It was Snape, looking the other way, as awkwardly as he could get.

"We should leave," he snarled.

"See you tomorrow," Ginny whispered, and went back inside.

"So, your eye is the result of a training accident?" Snape asked sarcastically.

***

Diagon Alley was full of people.

Snape stalked with wide steps in front, and Draco had to jog catch up with him. Everywhere they passed, a trail of whispers were left behind them. The news of Draco Malfoy's survival spread like wildfire.

Draco began to feel more and more uncomfortable, and he almost sighed with relief when they reached Ollivander's and got out of the crowd.

Ollivander was awaiting them.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy. I had heard that your wand had been destroyed. It had been unicorn-hair and willow," he stated.

"Yes, Sir."

Ollivander observed him sharply.

"Sit down. You almost look as if you are going to have a mental breakdown."

Snape opened his mouth, but a glance from a pair of silvery eyes stopped him from saying anything.

Draco was glad to get the weight off his injured leg, but the behaviour of both Snape and Ollivander set him on the edge. What was going on?

"Before we start to find a new wand ..."

"Molasar, do you honestly think that now is the right time?" Snape asked, but was sharply interrupted.

"You have brought him here, Severus," Ollivander stated. "He will learn the truth."

"Does anybody care to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Draco started to fume.

"Did you ever asked yourself why he-who-must-be-not-named put you through such torture?"

"Ever?" Draco snorted. "The whole time!"

"It's your bloodline."

Draco was taken aback.

"What? He had my father! Hells, he could have had me! Why did he try ..."

"It's not the Malfoy bloodline," Snape interrupted harshly.

Draco looked from one adult to the other.

"But ..."

"He wanted your abilities," Ollivander's voice was slightly a whisper now.

"Abilities? What abilities? What the hell are you talking about?" Draco was almost screaming with frustration.

"Honestly," a new voice came from the background. "You are definitely succeeding to confuse the boy even more."

Professor Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows, watching Draco with sympathy.

"Leave us alone," he demanded, and the other two obeyed without a word.

"What is going on here? What has this to do with me? And what 'abilities' are Ollivander talking about?!"

"Many questions at once, Mr Malfoy. I cannot answer all of them, because even I do not know everything."

Dumbledore sat down and was silent a long moment.

Draco suddenly wished Ginny was with him. This nightmare got worse and worse.

"Voldemort can't get what he wants if you are still alive," the Headmaster said finally.

"I'm sorry, but I just don't get it."

"The abilities Ollivander mentioned ... let me say, the potential is in your bloodline."

"What are we talking about? Wizard Powers? I have them anyway."

"No, it is not about your wizard powers. To be honest, if you could awake the potential, there would be almost nothing you COULD NOT do."

"Excuse me?"

Draco stared at him.

If he goes any further, I will admit myself to St Mungos!

"It is complicated. We are talking about telepathy, telekinesis and a hundred more things. You could - and I emphasize, COULD be a powerful weapon in the fight. And that is what Voldemort wants from you."

"The ritual," Draco said involuntary.

Dumbledore nodded.

"But why me? And why did he kill my Mum ..." he stopped abruptly and his eyes widened. "Mother's bloodline?"

"Yes."

"But why did he kill her?"

"We do not know exactly, Mr Malfoy. We are depending on a guess. Perhaps she had frozen her abilities with some kind of spell. She was of no use to Voldemort anymore."

"Did she ever use them?"

Dumbledore shook his head.

"No, not that we knew. As I said before, we have to assume. Nobody knew about the potential - except your father, and I think he did not even knew before the attack."

"And ... why does Ollivander know?"

"Molasar Ollivander is distantly related to your mother. She paid him a visit shortly before she died."

"And he has ...?"

"No, it needs a direct bloodline."

"And Severus?"

"Narcissa and Severus were friends at school. They kept writing to each other."

"That's why he treated me better than anybody else," Draco said thoughtfully. "I knew it wasn't only because I was a Slytherin."

He kept thinking hard.

"Hells, if I had thought about it, I imagine I would have known before all this had happened!"

"You would not have survived," stated Dumbledore. "Voldemort would not let someone live who knew he could be dangerous to him."

"You said I could be a weapon. But I don't want to! I just want to live my life the same as anybody else!"

"Alas, there is nothing you can do about it, Mr. Malfoy. It's the same as Harry; he can do nothing to ignore the fact that he is 'The Boy Who Lived'. Your abilities are latent; you would have to work on them. But did you realize how much worth you could be for us and the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Holy Shit."

"Because of the special situation I will overlook the way you are expressing yourself."

Dumbledore twinkled. "But do think it over, Draco. Nobody is forcing you to do anything, but ..." He left the sentence unfinished and rose.

"Severus will accompany you to Gringotts later. Perhaps your mother's vault will contain some more answers for you."

He left the room without turning around.

***

Snape and Draco walked in silence.

Draco had gotten his new wand, and Ollivander added some friendly remarks about his mother. He and Narcissa seemed to know each other very well.

His mind was still spinning. On top of everything else that had happened, this was almost too much to handle.

If I knew before, maybe I would have killed them all. Nobody would have been safe from me. Heavens, I could have killed Ginny!

The thought was sickening.

He was pulled out of his thoughts abruptly as he bumped into Snape who had stopped walking.

"Don't let it get to you, Draco," he said, knowing exactly what was going on in the Slytherin's mind. "Nobody is trying to force you."

"But I would be a help, wouldn't I?"

"Sure. But my priority is you, and not your hidden abilities."

"Hm."

Draco hadn't even realized the gossiping crowd around him, starting again to observe him like he was some mutant. He scowled angrily at them.

The way to the vault was unnerving like always.

"That's it," the goblin - his name was Gargin - said with a high-pitched voice. "You have your key?"

"Yeah."

"And you are sure that it belongs to you?"

"What the sodding hell does that mean? Of course I'm sure!"

"Sir, the vault is specially charmed. If you are not the definite owner, it will imprison you - forever."

Nice prospect.

Draco swallowed visibly.

"Narcissa gave it to me personally," Snape said. "It's safe."

He was right, and the door opened without any problems. There wasn't much money in it, but money wasn't what Draco was looking for. More interesting was the small roll of parchment lying in the middle of the floor.

He took it, started to unroll it, and stopped.

"We're ready to go."

***

Hogwarts was still eerily quiet.

The house elves had already brought Draco's personal belongings into his new room, which Severus was in the process of showing him.

Snape didn't mention the parchment at all, and neither did Draco.

"You won't be disturbed here. My office and personal chambers are directly next to yours."

Is it soundproofed?

He grinned.

"Before you get any ideas ..." Snape said, but he was smiling slightly. Once again, he seemed to know exactly what Draco was thinking.

"Who, me? Never."

"Don't pretend to be innocent. Doesn't suit you. Tomorrow evening is your first appearance in the Great Hall," he continued, getting earnest now. "Your seat is at the Slytherin table, don't forget that."

"Hey, just because my girlfriend is a Gryff, doesn't mean I belong to the rest of those snobs."

"Glad to hear that," Snape said dryly. "Keep your eyes open, especially in Parkinson's direction."

"Pansy? Come on, Severus, she doesn't even have two brain cells to string together."

"Maybe not, but it's her father that I am worried about. There is nothing more dangerous than a betrayed female, and I would put money on the fact that she feels that way. I am just telling you, and especially Miss Weasley, to be very careful. Which brings me to another point ..."

"I will not refute her!"

"I don't ask that from you. But you both know very well you will be the cause of a great deal of uproar."

"Bet on it." Draco involuntarily stroked his black eye.

"Once again, Draco, and I am deadly honest: be careful!"

"Yes, Sir."

***

Later that evening, Draco took the roll of parchment and observed it suspiciously. He definitely wanted to know what his mother had left for him, but, at the same time, he was afraid what would come of it.

Again he wished Ginny were with him.

Draco,

At the moment you are reading this, I am not alive anymore. I knew, sooner or later it would end this way.

I am sure Severus, Molasar and Professor Dumbledore have discovered that you and I have special powers. I also hope they did tell you; otherwise this will be a slight shock for you.

You know I was born a Black. That's no secret. But - my mother was a Hardenbrook, and the Hardenbrook family is the direct bloodline of Horus, Lord of Atlantis. It's his legacy we have inside us. I knew that all my life, but I never told anyone. The Dark Lord found out three days ago, and told your father. It may be my death warrant.

I never used my abilities. And I would advice you doing the same, but I believe they will be useful in the war against Voldemort, and I have to leave the choice upon you. The potential of the power normally awakens around the age of 16, but I can't tell you how they work or how to use them. My grandmother had given me a spell to bind them. There is no way back. The spell is attached to my letter, but Draco, think it over.

If you need anything, don't be too stubborn, and ask Severus; I trust him fully.

And there is another thing you should know. The Hardenbrook family manor is your legacy, too. The papers are well hidden. Do ask Dobby about them, he knows where they are.

Draco, I only wish I could tell you personally.

I love you

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